Newspaper Fronts 1963-2003

By HOWARD BERGER

TORONTO (July 30) – As part of my move from Thornhill to mid-town, I rummaged through bags of newspapers I have kept since my youth. This allowed me to consolidate the collection and re-store the papers for safe keeping. Most are in near-mint condition.

Here, I have posted – in no particular order – more than 250 images from news and sport, dating nearly half-a-century. Grab a coffee and please enjoy.

IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE FROM THE OLD TORONTO TELEGRAM THAT MAPLE LEAFS WON THE STANLEY CUP IN MAY 1967. THAT’S DAVE KEON (ABOVE) WASHING HIS FACE WITH CHAMPAGNE FROM SILVER MUG AT THE GARDENS AFTER GAME 6 VICTORY OVER MONTREAL. KEON WON THE CONN SMYTHE TROPHY AS PLAYOFF MVP.

GLOBE AND MAIL FRONT: MAY 3, 1967.

I WAS IN NEW YORK WITH THE LEAFS ON MAR. 8, 1999 WHEN YANKEES LEGEND JOE DiMAGGIO PASSED AWAY AT 85 YEARS OF AGE.

STRANDED ON VACATION IN LOS ANGELES TEN SUMMERS AGO WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT BACK EAST (ABOVE AND BELOW). NUMEROUS FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS BECAME CONTENDERS IN 1983 AND BASEBALL FANS HERE RESPONDED – SHOWING UP IN RECORD NUMBERS AT OLD EXHIBITION STADIUM.

I WAS IN WINNIPEG ON OCT. 5, 1985 WHEN THE BLUE JAYS DEFEATED NEW YORK YANKEES AT EXHIBITION STADIUM TO WIN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST DIVISION TITLE AND MAKE THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE FIRST TIME (ABOVE AND BELOW). JAYS TOOK A 3-1 SERIES LEAD OVER KANSAS CITY BUT LOST THE ALCS IN SEVEN GAMES.

1987 – THE COLLAPSE

AFTER A DISAPPOINTING 1986 SEASON, BLUE JAYS WERE ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS IN ’87 – LEADING THE A.L. EAST BY 3½ GAMES OVER DETROIT WITH SEVEN GAMES TO PLAY. SOMEHOW, THE JAYS LOST ALL SEVEN AND WERE EDGED OUT AT TIGER STADIUM ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE SCHEDULE. IT REMAINS ONE OF THE GREAT FOLD UPS IN MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY.

BLUE JAYS DEFEATED THE YANKEES IN NEW YORK BY COMBINED SCORE OF 18-2 OVER CONSECUTIVE GAMES IN EARLY JUNE (ABOVE) – THE 1–0 OPENER TELEVISED NATIONALLY ON ABC’s MONDAY NIGHT BASEBALL IN THE U.S.

A WALK-OFF TRIPLE BY VETERAN JUAN BENIQUEZ ON THE SECOND-LAST SATURDAY OF THE SEASON (ABOVE AND BELOW) GAVE TORONTO ITS 3½-GAME LEAD ON DETROIT.

EIGHT DAYS LATER, IT WAS OVER.

A BIT OF CONSOLATION (ABOVE) FOR BLUE JAYS FANS.

JOHN RIGGINS, JOE THEISMANN AND THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS WON THEIR FIRST SUPER BOWL 30½ YEARS AGO IN PASADENA, CALIF.

ECSTACY… THEN AGONY

BEN JOHNSON SURE TOOK THIS COUNTRY FOR A RIDE IN SEPTEMBER 1988 – APPARENTLY WINNING THE 100-METER GOLD MEDAL FINAL AT THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, ONLY TO BE FOUND WITH PERFORMANCE ENHANCING STEROIDS IN HIS SYSTEM. THE EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER OF CANADIANS IS EVIDENT IN THESE NEWSPAPER IMAGES AND HEADLINES:

REDEMPTION

A BIT LESS THAN EIGHT YEARS LATER – IN ATLANTA – OUR COUNTRY WAS ABLE TO REJOICE FOR GOOD, AS DONOVAN BAILEY CAPTURED THE OLYMPIC 100-METER FINAL IN WORLD-RECORD TIME. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COVERING THE RACE FOR THE FAN-590 AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE A CAREER HIGHLIGHT.

IT BECAME A DOUBLE-CELEBRATION ON THE FINAL SATURDAY OF THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS WHEN THE CANADIAN TEAM WON THE 4×100-METER RELAY FINAL (ABOVE).

MORE FROM ATLANTA

INCLUDING THE BOMBING AT CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK:

AIRLINE TRAGEDIES:

THE WORLD RECOILED AT THE SHOOTING DOWN OF KOREAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 007 BY THE SOVIET UNION ON SEP. 1, 1983 (ABOVE AND BELOW).

STILL THE WORLD’S MOST DEADLY SINGLE-PLANE DISASTER (ABOVE).

LOCKERBIE. DECEMBER 1988.

THIS CRASH IN DETROIT REALLY UN-NERVED ME AS I WAS PACKING TO LEAVE ON A BLUE JAYS ROAD TRIP TO OAKLAND, ANAHEIM AND SEATTLE THE FOLLOWING DAY.

CNE. SEPTEMBER 1989.

JUST PRIOR TO THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ATLANTA OLYMPICS, A TWA BOEING-747 PLUMMETED INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AFTER TAKING OFF FOR PARIS FROM JFK AIRPORT IN NEW YORK. INITIAL FEAR OF TERRORISM GAVE WAY TO HORROR OF PLANE BREAKING UP AS A RESULT OF EXPLOSION IN THE CENTRAL FUEL TANK.

UNCONTROLLED FIRE CAUSED THE ABOVE TRAGEDY.

KELLY GRUBER REMAINS THE LONE BLUE JAYS PLAYER TO HIT FOR THE CYCLE – MORE THAN 24 YEARS LATER.

JFK ASSASSINATION – NOVEMBER 1963

RFK ASSASSINATED – JUNE 1968

THE SHOCKING TRADE WITH SAN DIEGO IN DECEMBER 1990 (ABOVE AND BELOW) THAT ENABLED TORONTO BLUE JAYS TO WIN BASEBALL’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – TWICE.

I WAS AT THE PEPSI CENTER IN DENVER THE NIGHT RAY BOURQUE FINALLY LIFTED THE STANLEY CUP – COLORADO OVER NEW JERSEY IN GAME 7 (JUNE 9, 2001).

THE “NORTHRIDGE” EARTHQUAKE: JANUARY 1994.

1994 WORLD CUP – IN THE UNITED STATES (ABOVE AND BELOW).

THE FIRST LEAFS PLAYOFF GAME I EVER ATTENDED – AS A TEN-YEAR-OLD ON APR. 6, 1969 – A VICTORY BY BOBBY ORR AND THE BOSTON BRUINS THAT ELIMINATED TORONTO IN THE MINIMUM FOUR GAMES OF STANLEY CUP QUARTERFINAL. GM/COACH PUNCH IMLACH WAS FIRED MOMENTS AFTERWARD (ABOVE AND BELOW).

PASSING OF LEAFS OLD GUARD

PUNCH IMLACH – DEC. 1, 1987.

FOSTER HEWITT – APR. 21, 1985.

KING CLANCY (ABOVE AND BELOW) – NOV. 10, 1986.

HAROLD BALLARD (ABOVE AND BELOW) – APR. 11, 1990.

THIRTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (ABOVE AND BELOW) – THE FAMED “PINE-TAR” INCIDENT AT YANKEE STADIUM INVOLVING GEORGE BRETT AND THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS.

CHALLENGER TRAGEDY – JAN. 28, 1986

LIGHTS OUT IN BEANTOWN

THE WEEK BEFORE I STARTED MY RADIO CAREER, I ATTENDED GAMES 3 AND 4 OF THE 1988 STANLEY CUP FINAL IN BOSTON. THE LATTER MATCH (MAY 24) WAS PLAYED ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST, MUGGIEST DAYS I CAN REMEMBER. IT WAS UNBEARABLY HOT IN THE BOSTON GARDEN AND NO ONE WAS OVERLY SURPRISED WHEN THE ANCIENT ARENA WENT DARK AT 9:31 P.M. – WITH 3:23 REMAINING IN THE SECOND PERIOD. ULTIMATELY, OFFICIALS CALLED THE MATCH, AND GAME 4 WAS SHIFTED TO EDMONTON, WHERE OILERS WON THEIR FOURTH CHAMPIONSHIP IN FIVE YEARS.

SENATORS FIRST-EVER HOCKEY GAME – AN EXHIBITION TILT AGAINST THE WHALERS IN HARTFORD ON SEP. 18, 1992 (ABOVE AND BELOW).

JULY 1987: HORROR IN EDMONTON.

“THAT’S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN…”

TIE DOMI AND FRIGHTENING END TO SCRAP WITH CHICAGO’S CAM RUSSEL IN LEAFS HOME FINALE OF 1997-98 SEASON.

THE 7.1-MAGNITUDE LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE THAT POSTPONED GAME 1 OF THE 1989 WORLD SERIES IN SAN FRANCISCO REALLY HIT HOME, AS I HAD DRIVEN ON THE COLLAPSED OAKLAND FREEWAY (ABOVE) JUST THE PREVIOUS WEEK WHILE COVERING BLUE JAYS AND A’s IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS WERE PURCHASED (ABOVE) BY BRUCE McNALL, JOHN CANDY AND WAYNE GRETZKY IN FEBRUARY 1991. THEY LURED ROCKET ISMAIL FROM NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY AND WON THE ’91 GREY CUP OVER CALGARY ON A BONE-CHILLING AFTERNOON AT OLD WINNIPEG STADIUM. CANDY, THE BELOVED COMIC, DIED IN 1994.

FINAL BLUE JAYS GAME AT EXHIBITION STADIUM (ABOVE); FIRST GAME AT SKYDOME – NOW ROGERS CENTRE – (BELOW).

ANAHEIM ANGELS WIN 2002 WORLD SERIES.

AFTER THE LEAFS KNOCKED OFF PHILADELPHIA IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 1999 PLAYOFFS ON A POWERPLAY GOAL IN THE FINAL MINUTE OF REGULATION TIME (SERGEI BEREZIN SCORED WITH JOHN LeCLAIR IN PENALTY BOX), FLYERS OWNER ED SNIDER THREW A MAJOR TANTRUM. AND, I WAS THERE TO RECORD IT FOR POSTERITY.

IN MIDST OF THE PERSIAN GULF WAR, I COVERED THE 1990 AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP IN BUFFALO, AS THE BILLS SLAUGHTERED L.A. RAIDERS EN ROUTE TO THEIR FIRST OF FOUR CONSECUTIVE SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES.

HAVING WATCHED PAUL HENDERSON SCORE THE GOAL IN 1972, IT TOOK NEARLY 12 YEARS BEFORE I HAD A SIMILAR FEELING ABOUT AN INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY GAME. THIS OVERTIME IN THE SEMIFINAL OF THE 1984 CANADA CUP DID THE TRICK.

WAYNE GRETZKY TO MARIO LEMIEUX FOR THE LEGENDARY WINNER IN THE 1987 CANADA CUP AT COPPS COLISEUM IN HAMILTON – AND I WAS THERE.

AS MENTIONED, IT ALL BEGAN IN 1972.

1992 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP – TORONTO vs. OAKLAND.

OCT. 14, 1992 – BLUE JAYS FINALLY WIN THE PENNANT.

OCT. 24-25, 1992. ATLANTA. WORLD CHAMPS.

DAVE WINFIELD’S LAST SMILE AS A BLUE JAY. HE’D BE JETTISONED THE FOLLOWING WEEK – SIGNING WITH MINNESOTA TWINS FOR 1993.

BLUE JAYS OVER CHISOX FOR ’93 AMERICAN LEAGUE TITLE.

WORLD SERIES-2: “TOUCH ‘EM ALL JOE” vs. PHILLIES.

I WAS IN PITTSBURGH AT A FAMILY EVENT WHEN THE PENGUINS WON THEIR FIRST STANLEY CUP, WALLOPING MINNESOTA NORTH STARS IN BLOOMINGTON.

MARIO RETURNS… OUCH!

RARELY HAVE THE MAPLE LEAFS BEEN PATSIES TO THE EXTENT THEY WERE IN PITTSBURGH ON DEC. 27, 2000 WHEN MARIO LEMIEUX CAME BACK AFTER A THREE-YEAR RETIREMENT; SCORED 33 SECONDS INTO THE GAME, AND MANHANDLED THE BLUE AND WHITE AS IF HE’D BEEN ABSENT FOR THREE DAYS.

MAR. 25, 1982 – AT CALGARY – WAYNE GRETZKY BECOMES FIRST NHL PLAYER TO RECORD 200 POINTS IN A SEASON.

OCT. 15, 1983 – AT CALGARY – WAYNE GRETZKY AND LANNY McDONALD IN CEREMONIAL FACE-OFF BEFORE FIRST GAME AT SADDLEDOME (ABOVE AND BELOW).

SEPTEMBER 1984 – POPE JOHN PAUL VISITS TORONTO.

FIRST EDITION OF NATIONAL POST – OCT. 27, 1998.

FIRST EDITION OF POPULAR HOCKEY NEWS ANNUAL.

FIRST TORONTO STAR OF 1990’s.

LAST TORONTO STAR OF 1990’s.

FIRST TORONTO STAR OF 2000’s.

LAST TORONTO SUN OF 1990’s.

FIRST TORONTO SUN OF 2000’s.

TRAGEDY IN PARIS – AUG. 30, 1997

DECEMBER 1998.

SUPER BOWL XXVII – JAN. 31, 1993 – PASADENA

DALLAS COWBOYS 52, BUFFALO BILLS 17. I WAS THERE FOR THE FAN-590.

GRETZKY AND THE OILERS

FIRST STANLEY CUP – MAY 19, 1984 (ABOVE AND BELOW).

SECOND STANLEY CUP – MAY 30, 1985. FIRST CUP FINAL I ATTENDED.

THIRD STANLEY CUP – MAY 31, 1987 (ABOVE AND BELOW).

GRETZKY PASSES HOWE – OCT. 16, 1989

THE GREAT ONE RECORDS NHL POINT 1,851 – WITH LOS ANGELES, AT EDMONTON.

99 ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

NEW YORK. APR. 16, 1999.

GRETZKY’S FINAL GAME

I HAD THE HONOR OF COVERING THIS GREAT MOMENT OF HOCKEY HISTORY FOR THE FAN-590 – FLYING TO NEW YORK FROM MONTREAL, WHERE MAPLE LEAFS HAD FINISHED THEIR 1998-99 SCHEDULE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. GRETZKY’S FAREWELL SKATE AROUND THE ICE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IS SOMETHING I’LL NEVER FORGET.

JANUARY 1985: SITE CHOSEN FOR SKYDOME/ROGERS CENTRE.

WEEKEND THE ‘DOME OPENED – JUNE 1989.

HAVING COME TANTALIZINGLY CLOSE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DAVE STIEB FINALLY TOSSED A NO-HITTER FOR THE BLUE JAYS – AT CLEVELAND MUNICIPAL STADIUM – ON SEP. 2, 1990. IT REMAINS THE ONLY SUCH ACCOMPLISHMENT IN FRANCHISE HISTORY.

OKLAHOMA CITY. APR. 19, 1995.

PANIC. OCT. 19, 1987.

NEW YORK RANGERS WIN 1994 STANLEY CUP

NEW YORK – PRIOR TO GAME 5.

NEW YORK – AFTER GAME 5.

NEW YORK – AFTER GAME 6 (ABOVE AND BELOW).

AND, FINALLY…

DEVILS ANSWER

ONE YEAR LATER – AFTER A LOCKOUT-SHORTENED, 48-GAME SEASON – STANLEY CUP CROSSES THE HUDSON RIVER FOR THE FIRST OF THREE-SUCH OCCASIONS.

DEVILS WIN THIRD STANLEY CUP

MARTIN BRODEUR, SCOTT STEVENS AND CO. PREVAIL OVER ANAHEIM IN GAME 7 OF 2003 CUP FINAL – AT MEADOWLANDS – CAPPING A SERIES IN WHICH HOME TEAM WON EVERY MATCH.

NEW JERSEY ELIMINATED OTTAWA IN SEVEN-GAME ’03 EASTERN FINAL.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS BREAK CURSE

AFTER SOMEHOW FAILING TO WIN THE GREY CUP OVER THREE DECADES IN A NINE-TEAM LEAGUE, TORONTO ARGONAUTS ENDED THEIR FAMINE ON NOV. 27, 1983 IN VANCOUVER – EDGING THE HOME-TOWN B.C. LIONS, 18-17, ON A LATE TOUCHDOWN PASS FROM JOE BARNES TO CEDRIC MINTER. I WAS AT THE GAME.

IN 1991 – AT FRIGID WINNIPEG – THE McNALL-GRETZKY-CANDY-OWNED ARGOS DEFEATED CALGARY TO WIN CUP, LED BY ROCKET ISMAIL. (ABOVE AND BELOW).

NOV. 7, 1991 – MAGIC JOHNSON’S STUNNING ANNOUNCEMENT

1998 – *McGWIRE BREAKS ROGER MARIS H.R. RECORD

*ALLEGEDLY WITH SOME HELP.

McGWIRE AND SAMMY SOSA SLUGGED IT OUT IN ’98.

AUGUST 1991 – MIKHAIL GORBACHEV WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN REFORM IN THE SOVIET UNION – AND HIS EFFORT PAID OFF.

SEPTEMBER 1983 – CARL YAZSTRZEMSKI PLAYS FINAL GAME FOR BOSOX.

HECK, EVEN I MADE THE FRONT OF THE TORONTO SUN ONCE – ATTEMPTING TO INTERVIEW ONE-TIME ANTAGONISTS EDDIE SHACK AND THE LATE JOHN FERGUSON AT MAPLE LEAF GARDENS BEFORE A TORONTO-MONTREAL OLDTIMER’S GAME.

Who is

Howard Berger

Hockey/baseball reporter at THE FAN-590 for 23 years (1988-2011), and original from September 1992 launch of Canada’s first all-sports radio station. Covered Toronto Blue Jays 1992 and 1993 World Series victories. Started with Leafs full time in 1994. Enjoying life with my family (kids Shane and Lauren).